What if?

[dbmmama]

If a person "what if's" things, is that creative Ni? and if so, does it matter if those "what if's" are positive or negative?

[hellothere]

I "what if" a lot, almost like I can't help it, and I don't think I'm creative Ni. Perhaps intuitive people in general are more likely to do it. One thing though is that I wish I didn't "what if" a lot, I try to work hard at just going with the flow and not thinking too much about the future. I'm hesitant to attribute "what ifs" to Ni, but if there is an association, perhaps it means that I don't value it.

[dbmmama]

I "what if" a lot, almost like I can't help it, and I don't think I'm creative Ni. Perhaps intuitive people in general are more likely to do it. One thing though is that I wish I didn't "what if" a lot, I try to work hard at just going with the flow and not thinking too much about the future. I'm hesitant to attribute "what ifs" to Ni, but if there is an association, perhaps it means that I don't value it.

thanks. yes, i what if a lot and have worked hard to turn them into positives instead of negatives. yes, i also have to work hard again at going with the flow instead of thinking too much about the future. yes. thank you.

it's a big thing i've worked with clients on. turning their what if's into positive what if's to get the ball rolling in a LOA direction to what they want...

[diljs]

very narrow stereotypes which are absolutely incorrect and too limited follow:

Sensing: There is (is not) something in front of me/something happening now
Intuition: What if something was in front of me and/or happening? (regardless of whether something is or is not there.)

[Elro]

I actually do think "what if" has a big correlation with Ne, but that's not to say Ne types are the only ones to have those moments, just probably they have the largest density of them.

[dbmmama]

I actually do think "what if" has a big correlation with Ne, but that's not to say Ne types are the only ones to have those moments, just probably they have the largest density of them.

thanks. and your avatar is driving me crazy. there's a palpable energy between the two figures making them want to kiss madly.

[Elro]

thanks. and your avatar is driving me crazy. there's a palpable energy between the two figures making them want to kiss madly.

Lol, don't look at me, Bambi made me do it.

[Hot Scalding Gayser]

I don't think it's related to a particular function... but more of the basic intuition/sensing dichotomy. That is in my view the 8 intuitors 'what if' a lot more than the 8 sensors.

[dbmmama]

Lol, don't look at me, Bambi made me do it.

bambi again, eh? that deer sure gets around.

[diljs]

bambi again, eh? that deer sure gets around.

Bambi has commitment issues due to the loss of his parents at an early age.

[Joy]

If a person "what if's" things, is that creative Ni? and if so, does it matter if those "what if's" are positive or negative?

ESI's have negative what if's a lot. IEE's have all sorts of what if's. Other types as well, of course.

[Sirena]

Bambi has commitment issues due to the loss of his parents at an early age.

[dbmmama]

Bambi has commitment issues due to the loss of his parents at an early age.

Sirena, don't laugh! I think his PolR just hit me square in the eye and made me cry. (yes, i realize it rhymes, but it's true nonetheless)

[FDG]

N, F = what if
S, T = certainty

I would then expect that there is a parity of what-ifs between NTs and SFs, wheras STs are the least likely to what-if and NFs are the most likely to what-if.

[Sirena]

Sirena, don't laugh! I think his PolR just hit me square in the eye and made me cry. (yes, i realize it rhymes, but it's true nonetheless)

Sorry it made you sad.

(don't look at my avatar right now)

[dbmmama]

Sorry it made you sad.

(don't look at my avatar right now)

looking at your avatar makes me happy. all better.

[Sirena]

looking at your avatar makes me happy. all better.

[FDG]

that's too... something. i think if you're going to correlate something perhaps you might want to add "declarer" or "asker" into the mix. i'd suggest that those types could come off as less-confident and maybe more what-iffy. perhaps you meant something different by "certainty." i was mostly thinking of my convo with an ESE friend of mine earlier tonight and thinking that he came off as very certain and assured in at least the areas of expertise he has studied.

It can also probably be modulated by positivist-negativist, perhaps the latter is more likely to doubt "insert given object-action here".

I am not sure about how the types come across, but in the end it's F and N that are "not well defined" and thus more open to consider what-ifs. That's what I meant by "certainty": sensing and thinking deal with certain information. Paradoxically, you can be actually be rather self-assured about uncertain information (think how an ENFj can mold extraverted feeling of large groups of people, or how ENTj can take calculated risks).
However I still personally think that N and F are the functions most likely to consider what-ifs.

Perhaps we can say that declarer-positivist types are less likely to actually state those what ifs? In comparison to asker-negativist?

[dbmmama]

Ne makes the most sense, to me, right now. but, i still can see how others who devalue Ne could do it in ways that aren't "healthy" for them since it would be coming from an unstable part of their psyche.

[Joy]

Ne makes the most sense, to me, right now. but, i still can see how others who devalue Ne could do it in ways that aren't "healthy" for them since it would be coming from an unstable part of their psyche.

Yeah, I think it's related to Ne for the most part. We all use all of our functions though.

[redbaron]

I know an EII who's VERY "what if" about everything and it's all negative (this could be related to her just being at an unhealthy level). For example, if there's a health problem, she goes on the internet and immediately jumps to the most negative conclusion. Stuff like that but with every area of her life. Worries about bad stuff happening to her kids, her husband cheating, etc. It's like this nagging worry in the back of her head.

[dbmmama]

so, it still seems it's about Ne, but it all depends on if it's healthy or not and if you value it or not.

HAhahahaahHAHA!!! so, it really means nothing. anyone could do it!!!!!

what about a person who naturally encourages OTHERS to use it and say that in a positive way to get them out of focusing on the bad and focusing on the good that COULD happen?

[jessica129]

I don't this is type related. I 'what if' every second of my life and i'm the furthest thing from an NF as you could possibly get. I "what if" because I'm an anxious person.

[dbmmama]

I don't this is type related. I 'what if' every second of my life and i'm the furthest thing from an NF as you could possibly get. I "what if" because I'm an anxious person.

then it just seems like we each have our own "what if's" that we worry about. those are what would be type related then.

[hellothere]

hah, this sounds like me pretty much exactly. oddly the last ENFp i dated also had these q's a lot and i took over the role i guess of being reassuring abt the future.

it also sounds like me exactly lol. well mainly the health thing.... cos i'm just paranoid about my health generally

[hellothere]

I don't this is type related. I 'what if' every second of my life and i'm the furthest thing from an NF as you could possibly get. I "what if" because I'm an anxious person.

yeah good point... i'm also a pretty anxious person.